Several WA candidates face ballot tests

Some elected officials in southeastern Washington were essentially reelected, as many incumbents attracted no challengers.

But it’s a different story for federal and state races. All positions at those levels garnered several candidates who filed for office.

Washington’s weeklong candidate filing period wrapped up Friday.

The primary election will take place Aug. 6. The two candidates with the most votes in each race will advance to the Nov. 5 general election.

In Asotin County, four-term Commissioner Brian Shinn will face Dennis Lenz of Clarkston.

With Whitman County Superior Court Judge Gary Libey retiring at the end of this year, Pullman lawyers Roger Sandberg, Steve Martonick and Jenna Brozik will be running for the seat.

Every other incumbent official in southeastern Washington filed for reelection and is unopposed.

This doesn’t include state Reps. Mary Dye, R-Pomeroy, and Joe Schmick, R-Colfax. Dye will be challenged by Cheney Democrat Patrick Miller, and Schmick will face Spokane Democrat Arianna Arends and Spokane Democrat Pam Kohlmeier.

Federal and state level seats opened up as Gov. Jay Inslee, U.S. House 5th Congressional District Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Attorney General Bob Ferguson did not file for re-election. Ferguson instead will run for governor.

Incumbent Sen. Maria Cantwell drew challenges from 10 others, spanning across party affiliations, for the position she’s held since 2001.

In addition to the listed positions below, all Republican and Democratic precinct committee seats are up for election, as are several positions on the Washington Supreme Court.

Candidates who filed for office in southeastern Washington, with their stated party preference, include:

FEDERAL

U.S. Senate (six-year term)

Democrat: Maria Cantwell (incumbent), Paul Lawrence Giesick

Republican: Mel Ram, Scott Nazarino, Isaac Holyk, Raul Garcia, Goodspaceguy

Independent: Chuck Jackson, Thor Amundson

Socialist Workers: Henry Clay Dennison

No party preference: David Tilton

U.S. House, 5th Congressional District (two-year term)

Democrat: Carmela Conroy, Matthew Welde, Bernadine Bank, Ann Marie Danimus, Bobbi Bennett-Wolcott

Republican: Michael Baumgartner, Rene’ Holaday, Jacquelin Maycumber, Rick Valentine Flynn, Brian Dansel, Jonathan Bingle

WASHINGTON STATE

Governor (four-year term)

Democrat: Mark Mullet, Bob Ferguson, Edward Cale IV, EL’ona Kearney, Don Rivers, Fred Grant, Cassondra Magdalene Hanson, Chaytan Inman, Ricky Anthony

Republican: Martin Lee Wheeler, Jim Daniel, Bill Hirt, Dave Reichert, Jennifer Hoover, Semi Bird, A.L. Brown

Trump Republican: Leon Lawson

Libertarian: Michael DePaula

Independent: Frank Dare, William Combs, Jeff Curry, Rosetta Marshall-Williams

Green: Andre Stackhouse

Standup-America: Alex Tsimerman

Nonsense Busters: Alan Makayev

Nonpartisan: Brian Bogen

No party preference: Brad Mjelde, Jim Clark

Lt. Governor (four-year term)

Democrat: Denny Heck (incumbent), Dave Griffin

Republican: Bob Hagglund, Dan Matthews

Liberal Republican: Patrick Harman

Secretary of State (four-year term)

Democrat: Steve Hobbs (incumbent), Marquez Tiggs

Republican: Dale Whitaker

No party preference: Damon Townsend

State Treasurer (four-year term)

Democrat: Mike Pellicciotti (incumbent)

Republican: Sharon Hanek

State Auditor (four-year term)

Democrat: Patrice McCarthy

Republican: Matt Hawkins

Attorney General (four-year term)

Democrat: Nick Brown, Manka Dhingra

Republican: Pete Serrano

LEGISLATURE — 9TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT

State Senator (four-year term)

Republican: Mark Schoesler (incumbent)

House Position 1 (two-year term)

Republican: Mary Dye (incumbent)

Democrat: Patrick Miller

House Position 2 (two-year term)

Republican: Joe Schmick (incumbent)

Democrat: Arianna Arends, Pam Kohlmeier

ASOTIN COUNTY

(All with four-year terms, unless otherwise noted)

County Prosecutor

No party preference: Curt Liedkie (incumbent)

County Commissioner 1

No party preference: Brian Shinn (incumbent), Dennis Lenz

County Commissioner 2

Republican: Chris Seubert (incumbent)

Superior Court Judge

Brooke Burns (incumbent)

Public Utility Commissioner 2 (nonpartisan, six-year term)

Don Nuxoll (incumbent), Amber Jeffreys

GARFIELD COUNTY

County Commissioner 1

Jim Nelson (incumbent)

County Commissioner 2

Larry Ledgerwood (incumbent)

WHITMAN COUNTY

County Commissioner 1

Republican: Art Swannack (incumbent)

County Commissioner 2

Independent: Tom Handy (incumbent)

Superior Court Judge

Roger Sandberg, Steve Martonick, Jenna Brozik

Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com.